Future perfect

I have 10 states left to visit, and then I will have visited all 50 states in the US.
By the time my grandson is 2 years old, I will have flown to Poland a dozen times (I hope!).
If I remain with the same company until I retire, I will have worked there for more than 40 years.
When my wife retires, she will have worked at the library for more than 20 years.
By the end of the week I will have walked down every street in my neighborhood this year.

By the time you read this I will have gone to work.

Had been talking

I had been talking on-line with my friend for 3 hours when I realized I had to run an errand. We agreed that it seemed we had been talking only a few minutes. Time flies when you're having fun.

We had been thinking about trying to connect again later that day, but the internet connection was unbelievably bad. I had been telling her a funny story earlier that day, and I wanted to have a chance to finish it. We could have talked for another 3 hours!

If we hadn't been planning this long chat all week, it wouldn't have been so disappointing. After all, we had worked and studied hard every day. We thought we deserved a break from the routine. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be, but we were grateful for the time we had.

Would have been

I would have been posting new entries more often, but I've been busy. I should have known that being a grandfather would take a bit of my time. I would never have guessed it could be so much fun! Unfortunately, it has been hard to manage my time and fulfill other responsibilities.

If I had thought about it, I could have planned ahead to get some things finished around the house before my grandson arrived. As it is, I'll probably spend the winter wishing I had finished them!

My daughter had told me sometime ago that she would bring the baby to visit me at work. Yesterday was that day. I have seldom felt such pride, holding him, listening to co-workers (especially the ladies) say how cute he is, and that I looked like a good grampa.

Would you have ever guessed that the past perfect tense could be so interesting? :-)

Date

I have a date tonight with my wife. We're going to 'eat out'. Why is this event any different? Why do I call it a 'date'? The important thing is that we planned it ahead of time. I asked her on Monday if she'd like to try a new restaurant in our town. So we 'made a date' to go out on Friday (today).

Are you dating anyone? Maybe you say that you're 'in a relationship'. As far as I know, it means the same thing. I know I'm dating myself (admitting that I'm old), but we used to call it 'going steady'. We also said, 'I have a boyfriend/girlfriend' to let people know we were 'taken' or not available to go out with others.

My wife and I dated for a couple of years before we got married. If you saw the clothes I wore for our wedding, you might say they were dated (lots of plaid!).

Is today an important date in history or a memorable date in your life? I hope your life is full of memories that make you smile, no matter what day it is.

New name: Grandfather, Grampa, Grandad

My daughter had a baby boy on Tuesday, so now I have a new name. "Grandad" will be the most common choice, although I'm also going to teach him to call me 'Dziadek/Dziadku" as well. It's hard to believe that my 'baby' had a baby! 

Now I'm at work, trying to focus on testing my computer code. It's a challenge, because being Grandad is much more interesting. 

I wonder how long it will be until he learns to laugh and learns to call me "Grandad". I wonder if he'll enjoy sitting in my lap while I read to him, or taking a walk in the park with me. I wonder if he'll like music, or maybe play a musical instrument. So many questions and possibilities. Only time will tell. 

What's that? Must have been my imagination. I thought I heard someone call my name!

Have you ever . . . ?

Have you ever felt lonely in a crowd? Shallow relationships aren't satisfying. 

Have you ever felt rejected? It makes you appreciate friends who accept you as you are. 

Have you ever had a friend who accepts you as you are? There's nothing like it, and nothing better because you are free to be yourself. 

Have you ever felt like crying but you didn't know why? I felt that way this week. I'm glad I have a friend who understood and encouraged me to hold on till the feeling passed. 

Have you ever felt like you've known someone for years even though you met only a few months ago? It's possible if you allow your relationship to grow deep enough. 

Have you ever been happy but couldn't share it with anyone? It's so great so share your happiness with a friend.

Have you ever told your friend how much he or she means to you? It may be awkward at first, but it's worth the risk. 

Have you ever been forgiven? Isn't it great to know you don't have to be perfect to be accepted?

Walking around the neighborhood

I like to walk around the neighborhood. It's relaxing to enjoy the slower pace and take in the sights and sounds. We have lots of trees--many shapes and sizes. I like to gaze up at them and admire their symmetry or their uniqueness if the limbs jut out at odd angles. I like to inspect the bark. Is it rough or smooth? Does it have the character of age like the wrinkled face of my grandmother? The weeping willow is one of my favorites, so different in appearance. 

The houses in America are often made of wood because it's so expensive to make one from bricks or stones. Unlike Europe, you don't see many tile roofs here. There's almost always a garage but often the car is parked in the driveway or in the street because the garage is filled with things that wouldn't fit in the basement! 

Most of the fences enclose only the back yard. The front door is exposed to the world. Most houses don't have individual mail boxes. There's usually one box for a dozen or so houses. Each box has smaller boxes inside, each with a locked door waiting to receive the latest advertisements, magazines, political propaganda--maybe once in awhile, a card or letter, sometimes even from a distant friend! 

People are friendly in my neighborhood. It's not unusual for one of them to say 'Hi' as I walk past, or if I meet someone walking a dog. I had a nice walk tonight because the weather is cooler than it's been recently. I'm looking forward to walking more in the next month or two as the leaves take on the burning red and orange colors of fall. Then it will be winter and once again the weather will try to keep me inside. 

Maybe this year I'll be bold and walk in the cold. No, I'm not too old!

To or not to

Not to -- no need for 'to' in these sentences: 

After work I'm going home. (not "going to home")

I can hardly wait for Christmas. (not "hardly to wait")

To -- these sentences would sound funny without 'to': 

I want to go to Poland again soon. 

Do you like to stay home on the weekend? 

I want to talk to you tomorrow. 

I'm glad to hear you say that to me. 

What would you like to have for dinner? 

Isn't it great to spend time with friends? 

Next week I'm going to visit my uncle.

Are you in?

More fun with prepositions--everybody's favorite!! 

What's "in" it for me??

Cat: What in the world are you doing in there? 

Mouse: I’m taking a load off my feet. 

Cat: But you’re in the closet! 

Mouse: I know. It’s quiet in here. I’m resting my mind too. 

Cat: Why don't you turn on the light? Isn’t it dark in there? 

Mouse: Yes, I like the dark. It's easy on my eyes. 

Tom: Where in the world are you going in such a hurry? 

Jack: I’m applying for a job. I’ve got to turn in my resume. The time will run out in an hour. Then I’ll be in big trouble for sure. 

Tom: Is this job in your field? 

Jack: In a sense. I have experience in talking in front of people and this job is in sales. 

Tom: I hope you’re not in for a disappointment. It’s tough to sell things in hard times like these. 

Jack: I’m trying to think in a positive way about this. The products I’d be selling are in demand in every economic situation. 

Tom: Even in a recession? 

Jack: Yes. I read an encouraging article in the latest Time magazine. I’ll be in the money and on top of the world in no time! 

Are you in a hurry? I hope you're on time!

About

I read a fascinating book about baseball. It was about 300 pages long. 

It's about time for school to start here in the states. I don't really care about it, because I'm not in school and I don't have kids at home any more. I hear my co-workers talk about it. 

I see that my neighbor is mowing his yard. It's about time! He let it grow too tall this time. 

We've had several weeks of hot weather. It's about all I can take. Isn't it about over? 

My brother is about as tall as I am and we both have red hair, although his is about gone. 

He did an about face (changed his mind) when I told him the rest of the story. 

It's about time for me to go mow my own yard. Then I'll be about through with my chores for today. 

Did you like this? Please tell me what you think about it.

Joy

What gives you joy? 

Do you find joy or does it find you? 

Does money bring you joy? 

What about success? 

Is joy the same as happiness? 

When you're full of joy, do you want to share it with someone? 

I've known joy many times in my life: When I went to college, the first week there I met a girl who became a friend of mine. Then she became my girlfriend and, rather quickly, my wife. It was a dream that I wasn't sure would ever come true. I'm thankful that it did. 

The same week I met a man who talked to me about heaven. After years of feeling unacceptable and unforgivable, I discovered total forgiveness and acceptance. Wow! That's profound joy!

When we found out we wouldn't have children of our own, we decided to adopt 2 children. What an incredible experience to bring them into our family! In a few months, I'll experience the joy of being a grandfather. Check back in October! 

I've made lifelong friends in Poland and now every time I visit I feel the joy of going home. One of those friends recently discovered the same joy of forgiveness and acceptance that I found so long ago. Sharing that experience with her gave me incredible joy. I love to tell others about it. 

Remembering these joyful moments is a chance to experience the joy all over again. And I do. Sometimes my heart feels like it's going to explode because it can't contain the feeling. 

I hope you know this kind of joy too.

Down

Maybe you've been down this road before (you have experience with a similar situation). You face a decision and you don't know what to do. You've looked up and down the list of possibilities but nothing seems clear. Every choice seems like walking down a blind alley. You start to feel down because you're stuck, but you can't put it down and forget about it. 

Before you are completely down and out, you get an idea. Quickly you write it down so you don't forget. Your best friend listens to you describe it, and says, "Yeah, it looks good. I'm down with that." Now you're walking down the street with a smile on your face. You can put this one down as a learning experience. 

When it came down to it, you did what you needed to do, faced the obstacles, and made the tough decision. 

No one can put you down for giving up.

An article on articles

Those pesky little words called "articles" can be hard to figure out.

“The” is called a definite article while “a” and “an” are indefinite articles. Use “a” if the next word starts with a consonant sound, “an” if the next word starts with a vowel sound. (See below). 

I hope these examples help you get a feel for the way we use them. 

The man with a blue hat walked away from the car with a bag in his hand and a smile on his face. 

The man in the long coat crossed the street in front of the drug store. 

An old woman pushed a baby carriage along the sidewalk. 

A woman with a little dog walked together in the park. 

The little girl next door has the cutest curls. 

The little girl next door has a cute smile.

An eager young girl knocked on my door. She was selling Girl Scout Cookies.

I heard a noise in the still of the night and turned on the light. I went down the hall, checked the kitchen and living room, but I didn’t see the source of the mystery. Half an hour later I finally gave up and went back to sleep. (Note it's "an hour", not "a hour". The consonant "h" is silent, so the word "hour" starts with a vowel sound.)

The grass was so tall, I spent an hour and a half mowing the front yard. 

The weather has been so hot lately that the thought of fall or even winter is becoming more attractive all the time. 

Our weather in Missouri is usually much warmer than that of the northern states. 

When I visit my mom on the farm, the stars in the dark sky are like diamonds on a velvet canvas. 

I lived on a farm when I was growing up.

Articles are definitely a challenge. You can spend an indefinite amount of time trying to master them. They’re almost as bad as prepositions!

Excitement

How do you feel when you're really excited or when something touches your heart? How do you describe it? 

A friend of mine had an incredible experience this week, and I'm so happy I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some positive words and phrases. 

I get "goose bumps" every time I think about it. 

I get a chill all over, and little bumps pop up on my arms. 

Someone asked me yesterday, "How are you today?" I said, "If I was any better, I'd have to be twins." 

I can't stop smiling. It's unbelievable. Is it really true or am I dreaming? It's amazing. It's awesome. I'm so happy I can't stand it! My heart is so full I have to tell someone. 

What could make someone so happy? Maybe I'll write about that tomorrow.

Dreams--future tense

What do you dream about? How will your life change in the next 5 or 10 years? What would you do if you could do anything you want? Where in the world would you live? 

Maybe some day I'll stop writing computer code and become a counselor. I'd rather help people who hurt than sit at my desk with a computer. It seems like a dream to me now. Maybe it will happen. What will I need to do to make my dream come true? I must get a license. That will take time. I will have to find an internship somewhere with someone to supervise me. I will have to accept criticism and suggestions to improve my skills. Even though I have a Master's degree, I may need to study some more. It will be worth it. 

That's only part of my dream. I'd also like to visit Poland more often. I think I could do that as a counselor. I'd have a much more flexible schedule. If I save my money, maybe I could spend a whole month in Poland. That would be cool! 

I hope you have a plan to reach your dreams. If not, when will you start?

Past tense

I just returned from Poland--my 10th visit to my favorite place. Two weeks ago today, I began the adventure. I stopped first in Poznań and chatted with some old friends. I also met a new friend who was very helpful to me. My new cell phone didn't work, so another friend gave me his extra phone. I was really thankful to get it! 

I left Poznań on Monday by train. I met (for the first time) a friend in Warszawa. We spent a wonderful 4 hours talking in a beautiful park on a perfect day. I hated to leave. 

I arrived in Kętrzyn about 8:00pm after 6 hours on a bus. I met Michał at the station. Within 3 days, we became good friends. We worked together well preparing lessons. For 10 days I enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm of 70 English students, ages 9 and 10, in the private school run by Michał and his wife, Ania. 

I also took a short trip to Suwałki to meet another internet friend. I had a great time on this trip. 

The biggest problem was that I couldn't fully enjoy the usual generous Polish hospitality because I could never eat as much as my host or hostess offered! However, I assure you that I savored every bite.

More prepositions: in/on/at

I'm going to Poland in June. I'm leaving on Thursday next week. 

I'll be in Poland for 2 weeks. 

I was in Poland in March last year. 

This will be my first visit in summer (well, almost summer). 

Sometimes it's hard to stay awake at my desk in the afternoon. 

My eyes get so tired from working on the computer all day. 

I worked at home on Friday last week. 

I was hard at work early in the morning--at 6:00 a.m. 

I'm going to visit my brother, Bill, at his apartment on Sunday. 

I'm going to my brother Bill's apartment on Sunday. 

My birthday is in August. My birthday is on August 2. 

Well, I'm going (no "to" here) home to bed.

for/to

Back to those pesky prepositions, let's look at some examples with 'for' and 'to'. 

Thank you for the email you sent to me yesterday. 

I'm thankful for your friendship. 

Thanks to you, I know what a real friend is. 

Say "Hello" to your wife for me. 

It's a privilege for me to talk to you. 

I'm glad you want to improve your English. 

Would you introduce me to your friend? 

I'm going to his flat for dinner. 

Do you have time for me now? 

That's all for now. It's time to go.

Having found my glasses . . .

Having found my glasses, I began to read the morning paper. 

Looking up at the clock, I noticed I was late. 

Grabbing my coat, I ran out the door. 

Waiting for the bus, I saw a man wearing a long coat and a hat. 

Running from the bus stop, breathing heavily, I entered the office. 

Hoping my boss wouldn't be upset with me for being late, I sat down at my desk. 

Starting to work, I felt more comfortable. 

While translating the latest piece of text from Russian into English, I found 2 new English words.

After working for 2 hours, I took a break and drank a cup of coffee. 

Returning to my task, I was relieved to discover that I knew all the words I needed for the translation. After reviewing my work for errors, I showed it to my boss. 

Smiling happily, he told me I'd done a great job. 

Seeing my uneasy expression, he told me not to worry about being late. 

Feeling encouraged by my success, I went home that night and relaxed.

Up

There is a two-letter word that may have more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP." 

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky, but . . . In the morning, why do we wake UP? 

When my son says "What's UP?" it's not really a question. He's just saying "Hi."

When you're talking to a friend, why does a topic come UP? 

Why do we speak UP and why are the candidates UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? 

We call UP our friends to see what they're UP to. 

We brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. 

We lock UP the house and some guy fixes UP my car. 

People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. 

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. 

And this UP is confusing: 

A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. 

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. 

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! 

To find the more uses of UP, look UP the word ‘UP’ in the dictionary. 

In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. 

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. 

It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. 

When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. 

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP. 

I could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP.

Keep

Keep is a neat little word. Generally it means to hold onto something, to save it instead of giving it away. For example:

I think I'll keep this book. It's one of my favorites. 

But we also use it in many idioms and phrasal verbs: 

You can keep quiet if you don't want to speak. 

You can keep a tradition. 

You can keep a secret--if you don't tell! 

You can keep a promise (or keep your word) if you do what you said you'd do. 

Someone may tell you to "Keep a lid on it" because they don't want you to tell anyone about it. 

Some people try to keep up with the Joneses--to have everything someone else has--especially expensive things, like a car, house, etc. 

In a race, you try to keep up with the fastest runner (or the fastest driver in a car race), or to keep up with the best students in class. 

If you are lonely you may ask a friend to keep you company (spend time with you). 

If you are impatient, someone may tell you to "Keep your shirt on, I'll be there in a minute." 

My English teacher used to say "Keep your wits about you" when she wanted us to think clearly during an exam. 

I keep on trying to learn Polish. I won't give up. If you want to encourage someone not to give up, you might say "Keep on keepin' on!" 

It's hard to keep track of all my friends on Skype! Keep in mind (remember) I have a lot of them! 

He was being serious, but his expression was so funny, I could hardly keep a straight face (I almost laughed). 

Would you keep an eye on my house while I'm on vacation? 

Please keep in touch. Write again when you have time. 

It's hard to keep my cool when I'm angry. 

My neighbors are very loud sometimes. The noise can keep me up late at night. I can't sleep. 

If it was hard for you to keep up with all these examples, that's OK. Keep trying!

More verb tenses

I created these exercises (and many more) for my friend Mark. These are examples of pronouns and the verbs that go with them.

I have a red car. 

You have a green car. 

He has a brown car. 

Two years ago, I had a white car. 

Maybe next year I will have a blue car. 

I have to go to work today. 

You have to go to work today.

He has to go to work today. 

I don’t have to work tomorrow. 

You don’t have to work tomorrow. 

He doesn’t have to work tomorrow. 

I had to stay home yesterday because I was sick. 

She had to stay home yesterday because she was sick.

I give him my books after I read them. 

I gave him a book yesterday. 

He gives me money sometimes. 

I will give him a new book tomorrow. 

I have given him many books.

I have more examples. Do you want to read them?

He has a book. Simple, right?

Isn’t English crazy? 

I want to show you a simple sentence and the confusing way we change it. Sometimes verbs change depending on the context, positive or negative, and sometimes, on which side of the Atlantic is your home. 

For example, if you see Jim reading a book, you can say: 

He has a book. 

But if you see Jim without a book, you have several choices. Our British friends might say: 

He hasn’t a book.

However, Americans are more likely to say: 

He does not have a book, or 

He doesn’t have a book. 

I know this is confusing because “have” is generally used with a plural subject, and “he” is definitely singular. However, there is still another choice that is correct but I don’t hear it as often. 

If we change the negative sentence to use “no” instead of “not”, then it’s like this: 

He has no book. 

For “you” and “I”, we have another exception because again we use “have” with a singular subject: 

You have a book. You do not have a book. 

You have no book. I have a book. I do not have a book. 

Fractions

How do you pronounce them in conversation or when reading something out loud?  

1/2=one half 

1/3=one third 

2/3=two thirds 

1/4=one fourth, or 

one quarter 

1/5=one fifth 

1/21=one twenty-first 

1 1/2=one and a half 

3 3/4=three and three fourths 

As you can see in these examples, except for "one half" and "one quarter", you can use the ordinal form of the denominator (bottom number) of the fraction. 

What about decimals? 

1.1=one point one, or one and one tenth 

3.14=three point one four, or 

three and fourteen hundredths 

5.021=five point oh two one, or 

five point zero two one, or 

five and 21 thousandths 

Here are some examples of decimals used to express amounts of money: 

$1.25=one dollar and twenty-five cents, or 

a dollar twenty-five, or 

a dollar and a quarter 

$3.50=three dollars and 50 cents, or 

three fifty, or 

three and a half 

$100=one hundred dollars, or 

a hundred dollars, or 

a C note (C in Roman numerals means 100), or 

a Benjamin (Benjamin Franklin's picture is on a 100-dollar bill) 

Have you seen the American comedy TV show, Two and a Half Men? Half a man?? Hmmm..

.

Have you heard someone say, "I have half a mind to tell him to leave"? This person isn't quite sure what to do, or maybe is afraid to do it.

Have you ever seen someone who was angry or impatient "go off half-cocked" (without taking time to make sensible plans)?

What fraction of this lesson will you remember? Half of it? All of it? (100%?)

Spring

Do you have a spring in your step because spring is just around the corner? 

The "official" first day of spring for baseball fans is the first home game of the season. For our hometown Kansas City Royals, that will be April 5. 

Here in the US we were told to spring forward one hour last weekend for the start of Daylight Saving Time. So for a few weeks, the difference in time between Poland and Missouri will be only 6 hours instead of 7. 

Do you have cabin fever from being inside during this long, cold winter? Lots of people around me are eager for winter to be over. I'm in no hurry. Summer is so hot and humid here in the midwest that I really don't want to think about it. I've spent too much time in my air-conditioned office, my air-conditioned home, and my air-conditioned car. 

If I came to visit your town, would you spring for (pay for) a drink? Be ready--you never know when I might spring a surprise visit on you!

Blah

Have you ever felt "blah"? I have.

I had a headache yesterday. The pain wasn't terrible but I felt lousy all day--not much appetite, no desire to talk to anyone, and I took a long nap in the afternoon. Blah.

I didn't feel great when I got up this morning, but it was Monday so I didn't think much about it. After 3 or 4 hours at work I didn't feel any better, so I decided to go home. I felt "blah"--no specific pain or symptom. I just didn't have any energy and more than anything I wanted to take a nap. It's hard to write computer code when your brain feels like mush. Blah.

It's hard to push yourself to work or study or clean the house when you don't have the energy or the motivation to do it. I know there are times when you don't have any choice. When your baby cries in the middle of the night, he's not going to change his own diaper and get a bottle by himself. He needs your help or he will feel worse than "blah" and will let you know it! 

Maybe you don't have enough sick days to stay home from work, so you go anyway because you can't afford to lose your job. So if you're having a "blah" day, do the best you can and I hope tomorrow is a better day for you--and me!

The

I see I've been a bit lazy. I didn't add anything to this blog in the first 2 months of 2010. Oh well. 

One of my friends asked me how to decide which way to pronounce "the". Sometimes it sounds like the beginning of "these"; at other times it's more like "thus". Here's an easy way to decide: 

1) If the next word after "the" starts with a vowel sound (a,e,i,o,u), you pronounce "the" with the long "e" sound in "these". 

2) If the next word starts with a consonant sound, "the" sounds like the beginning of "thus". 

Notice I said vowel "sound" and consonant "sound". Sometimes English is tricky because some words have silent letters. For example, the word "herb" is pronounced as though the "h" weren't there. It's spelled with a consonant at the beginning, but it's pronounced as though it started with a vowel. So you would use #1 above, not #2. That's the (#1) end of the (#2) story. 

Don't forget to stick out your tongue when you say "the"--whichever one you use!